Topic Comparison
Absentee and Mail Voting by state
Compare Absentee and Mail Voting across states and jurisdictions, with links back to each full state voting guide.
Last reviewed: August 14, 2026. Generated from Can I Vote JSON voting-guide models.
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Absentee and Mail Voting comparison
| State | Absentee Rule | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Must have an excuse to vote absentee ballot | For statewide elections, absentee ballot applications and completed absentee ballots should be hand delivered or mailed to the Absentee Election Manager for your county no later than the 5th day prior to the election. |
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| Alaska | A no excuse absentee voting state | Absentee voting provides a means for qualified voters to participate in upcoming elections even though they may not be able to go to the polls on election day. Alaska is a no excuse absentee voting state. |
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| American Samoa | Absentee Voting In American Samoa | Any qualified elector who will be unable to appear at his/her polling place during the hours of voting at any election because of absence from the Territory, or district in which he/she is registered, may cause his/her vote to be cast by absentee ballot. |
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| Arizona | A no excuse absentee voting state | Absentee voting provides a means for qualified voters to participate in upcoming elections even though they may not be able to go to the polls on election day. Arizona is a no excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may vote using the early and in-person absentee... |
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| Arkansas | Must have an excuse to vote absentee ballot | To receive an absentee ballot, you need to request to have an absentee ballot application sent to you by contacting your County Clerk (click here) in the county where you are registered to vote. You may also download an absentee ballot application (click... |
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| California | Absentee Voting In California | Any registered voter may vote using a vote-by-mail ballot instead of going to the polls on Election Day. To request a vote-by-mail ballot for a single election or to request a vote-by-mail ballot for all elections (permanent vote-by-mail voting). |
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| Colorado | Absentee Voting In Colorado | Colorado has no-excuse mail-in (absentee) voting. If you prefer not to go to the polls on election day, you may apply to vote by mail by submitting a completed Mail-in Ballot Application to your local county clerk. If you have a Colorado State driver's license... |
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| Connecticut | Absentee Voting In Connecticut | Connecticut has strict laws regarding who can vote absentee. |
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| Delaware | Absentee Voting In Alaska | If you are a registered voter and you are unable to go to your regular polling place on election day to cast your vote, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Request an absentee ballot by completing an "Affidavit for Absentee Ballot". |
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| Florida | Absentee Voting in Florida | Vote-by-mail refers to voting a ballot received by mail or picked up by or for a voter who is unable or unwilling to go to the polls to vote during early voting or Election Day. A voter does not have to be absent from the county of residence or have an excuse... |
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| Georgia | Absentee Voting in Georgia | Absentee voting information for Georgia. | State guide details |
| Guam | Absentee Voting in Guam | Any qualified voter of the territory of Guam may, as provided in this Chapter and subject to the conditions of this Section, vote at any election by absentee ballot if he will be prevented from personally going to the polls and voting on election day because... |
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| Hawaii | Absentee Voting In Hawaii | Voters do not have to wait until election day to vote. Any registered voter may request a mail ballot or cast their vote at an early walk-in location within their county. |
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| Idaho | Absentee Voting In Idaho | can be requested from Clerk's office or. |
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| Illinois | Absentee Voting In Illinois | Anyone may request a vote by mail ballot without specifying any reason for their absence on Election Day. |
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| Indiana | Absentee Voting In Indiana | All registered voters in Indiana are eligible to vote absentee-in-person at the county election board office beginning 28 days before Election Day. |
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| Iowa | Absentee Voting In Iowa | Any registered voter in Iowa may request an absentee ballot through their county auditor. |
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| Kansas | ADVANCE VOTING In Kansas | Voting in Kansas is easier than ever. With advance voting, any registered voter can vote by mail or in person before Election Day. |
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| Kentucky | Absentee Voting In Kentucky | Kentucky registered voters may vote at the precinct on election day or, if eligible, may cast an absentee ballot by mail or in the county clerk’s office prior to election day. Kentucky law does not provide for early voting or unexcused absentee voting. |
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| Louisiana | Absentee Voting In Louisiana | In Louisiana, you must have a reason to be eligible to vote by mail, unless you are a military or overseas voter. There are specific reasons listed below that qualify you to vote by mail. You can submit an application requesting a mail ballot through our... |
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| Maine | Absentee Voting In Maine | Maine law makes it easy to cast an absentee ballot. You don't have to be out-of-town or have any other reason to take advantage of this easy way to vote at a time that is most convenient for you. |
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| Maryland | Absentee Voting In Maryland | Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. You don't need a reason to vote by absentee ballot. It's another way to vote if you don't want to or can't go to an early voting center or your polling place. |
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| Massachusetts | Absentee Voting In Alaska | Early voting is available for biennial state elections. The next election for which early voting will be available is the November 6, 2018 State Election. |
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| Michigan | Absentee Voting In Michigan | A person who registers to vote by mail must vote in person in the first election in which he or she participates. The restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are disabled or voters who are 60 years of age or older. |
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| Minnesota | Absentee Voting In Minnesota | To vote by mail, apply to have an absentee ballot mailed to you. You do not need to be registered to apply. |
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| Mississippi | Absentee Voting In Mississippi | If you are a citizen of Mississippi and a registered voter you may vote absentee if you meet one of the following conditions:. |
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| Missouri | Absentee Voting In Missouri | Registered Missourians who expect to be prevented from going to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee beginning six weeks prior to an election. |
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| Montana | Absentee Voting In Montana | Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. |
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| Nebraska | Absentee Voting In Nebraska | Since 1999 Nebraska law has not required a person disclose a reason for their request on the Early Voting application. |
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| Nevada | Absentee Voting In Nevada | Any registered voter may request to vote by mail. |
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| New Hampshire | Absentee Voting In New Hampshire | A. |
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| New Jersey | Voting By Mail | A voter may vote by mail by completing the Application for Vote by Mail Ballot and returning the application to their County Clerk. The County Clerk cannot accept faxed or emailed copies of a Application for Vote by Mail Ballot, unless you are a Military or... |
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| New Mexico | Absentee Voting In New Mexico | Voters may cast an absentee ballot or vote in person in the county clerk's office during regular business hours starting 28 days prior to an election. | State guide details |
| New York | Absentee Voting In New York | Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day. |
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| North Carolina | CDATA[Absentee Voting In North Carolina | In North Carolina, absentee voting is broadly divided into three categories: absentee-by-mail voting, military and overseas citizens voting (also called UOCAVA voting), and absentee one-stop voting. These processes are all considered absentee, because the... |
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| North Dakota | Absentee Voting In North Dakota | All eligible North Dakotans have the option to request a ballot before the day of an election in a process known as absentee voting. |
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| Ohio | Absentee Voting In Ohio | All voters throughout Ohio can voter early.Ohio also allows same-day registration during early voting. |
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| Oklahoma | Absentee Voting In Oklahoma | Any registered voter in Oklahoma may vote by absentee ballot. It is not necessary to give a reason for voting absentee. DOWNLOAD AN ABSENTEE BALLOT FORM. |
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| Oregon | Absentee Voting In Oregon | Oregon has the most convenient voting system in the country. |
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| Pennsylvania | Absentee Voting In Pennsylvania | If you are unable to attend your polling place in person on Election Day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. To vote by absentee ballot, a voter must apply to the County Board of Elections for an absentee ballot. The County Board of Elections will... |
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| Rhode Island | Absentee Voting In Rhode Island | If for any reason you believe you will not be able to make it to the polls on election day, you can vote early using an emergency mail ballot within 20 days before the election. |
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| South Carolina | Absentee Voting In South Carolina | Qualified voters (see below) may vote absentee in person or by mail. |
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| South Dakota | Absentee Voting In South Dakota | In the event of confinement because of sickness or disability, a qualified voter may apply in writing and obtain an absentee ballot by authorized messenger. An authorized messenger delivers the ballot from the County Election Official to the qualified voter... |
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| Tennessee | Absentee Voting In Tennessee | Absentee in person, which is better known as early voting, and Absentee by mail, which is commonly called by-mail voting. |
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| Texas | Absentee Voting In Texas | Any registered voter may vote early by personal appearance (in person). |
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| Utah | Absentee Voting In Utah | A. |
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| Vermont | Absentee Voting In Vermont | In Vermont we make it easy to vote. If you prefer to vote early or by mail you can! Voting starts as soon as ballots are available—not later than 45 days before the primary or general election and 20 days prior to a municipal election that uses the Australian... |
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| Virgin Islands | Absentee Voting | (a) any member of the Uniformed Services of the United States or;. |
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| Virginia | Absentee Voting | Absentee voting provides a means for qualified voters to participate in upcoming elections even though they may not be able to go to the polls on election day. Absentee voting in person begins at least 45 days before most elections and ends for in-person... |
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| Washington | Absentee Voting In Washington | Washington State votes by mail. |
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| West Virginia | Absentee Voting In West Virginia | Voters who cannot make it to the polls during Early Voting or Election Day may be eligible to vote an absentee ballot by mail. If you cannot make it to the polling place because of any of the reasons below, you may apply to your County Clerk for an absentee... |
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| Wisconsin | Absentee Voting In Wisconsin | Under Wisconsin law, voters do not need a reason or excuse, such as being out of town on Election Day, to vote absentee. Any voter who prefers to vote by absentee ballot may request one. You have several options for requesting an absentee ballot and casting... |
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| Wyoming | Absentee Voting In Wyoming | In Wyoming, any qualified elector may apply for an absentee ballot at any time during a calendar year in which the election is held, but not on the day of the election. |
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Questions
Common voting questions
What does this Absentee and Mail Voting page compare?
This page compares Absentee and Mail Voting across the jurisdictions available in the generated Can I Vote topic index.
Where does this comparison data come from?
The comparison is generated from structured Can I Vote JSON models built from the canonical state voting-guide XML data.
Where can I verify current voting rules?
Use the state guide details and official source links in each row, then confirm final instructions with state or local election officials before voting.